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The monument honors the 63rd, 69th and 88th New York Infantry and 14th New York Independent Battery.
The brigade, weakened in severe fighting at Antietam and Fredericksburg, fought in the Wheatfield,
Rose Woods and at Stony Hill at Gettysburg. (CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE.) |
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“We have unveiled this pile, and it will stand to perpetuate the fame of those heroes," Father William Corby said at the dedication of the Irish Brigade monument at Gettysburg on July 2, 1888. "To keep their memory green in the American heart, this Celtic Cross has been erected. It is an emblem of Ireland, typical of faith and devotion, and the most appropriate that could be raised to hand down to posterity the bravery of our race in the great cause of American liberty.”
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| Nearly 20 feet high, a Celtic cross rests on a granite base. |
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The monument in Rose Woods was dedicated on July 2, 1888. The sculptor was a
Confederate veteran who fought at Gettysburg. |
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| A closeup of a life-sized Irish wolfhound at the foot of the Celtic cross. |
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"This, in the matter of size and structure, truthfully represents the Irish wolf-hound, a dog which has been
extinct for more than a hundred years," reads a small plaque below the dog. |
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| Two wolfhounds were mascots for the Irish Brigade's 69th New York. |
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| A plaque honoring the 14th New York Independent Battery. |
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| A closeup of a dew-covered artillerist in action. |
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| The 14th New York Independent Battery lost five men at the Bloody Angle on July 3, 1863. |
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A plaque on the monument notes the brigade's war-time service. The Irish Brigade suffered 17 killed
and 41 wounded at Gettysburg. Eighteen soldiers were listed as missing. |
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A magnificent monument to brave men and great photography John. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThree of my great-grand fathers were there during this battle. All Irish and all fought in the "Army of Northern Virginia". As a child I heard stories about how the Confederate Irish frequently fired over the heads of the Yankee Irish units whenever they realized who they were. At Marye's heights (Fredericksburg) one of them said they yelled across the lines & pleaded with the Irish Brigade to stop or just lay down and play dead as they tried not to fire directly at them. He said to his dying day it was one of the worse days of his life. He said afterwards many of his Irish born comrades cried as the Irish Brigade finally broke off the fight
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